Sungold tomato is a golden orange, extremely sweet cherry tomato hybrid that is harvested in 57 days. It is an early season highly productive indeterminate tomato variety. Sungold tomato is harvested at least twice a week throughout the summer, once fruit emerges.
The scientific name of the Sungold tomato is Lycopersicon esculentum. It is a type of cherry tomato. There are more than a dozen other cherry tomato types apart from Sungold which include such names as Chocolate Sprinkles, Sugar Rush, Sweet Gold and Orange Zinger. Cherry tomatoes derive the cherry name from their looks which resemble good old cherries.
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History of Sungold Tomatoes
Sungold tomatoes were developed in the early 1990s as an indeterminate tomato hybrid. The hybrid involved the Solanaceae plant family also known as the deadly nightshade family. The actual parent plants involved in this F1 hybrid are undisclosed for what appears to be a trade secret. This cherry tomato variety originated in Asia in 1992. It was created by Tokita Seed Company of Japan.
Tsutomu Tokita, the Chairman of the company, had first encountered cherry tomatoes in general in the United States back in 1973. From what he saw in the United States, he set out to create a version of cherry tomatoes which would be sugary sweet and flavourful for fresh picking.
As it was being launched in Japan, the Sungold tomato was also arriving in the UK about the same time (1992). This was courtesy of Thompson and Morgan. In the UK, the Sungold cherry tomato was famously reviewed as ‘the sweetest tomato ever.’ This was the general reception even in the United States.
Today, Sungold cherry tomatoes are among the most popular cherry tomatoes in the gardening world. The Sungold tomato is also up there among other tomato types such as Early Girl and Better Boy tomatoes. These are age-old sought-after varieties especially in the US.
Sungold Tomato Characteristics
The Sungold cherry tomato can be described as a small, round, yellow tomato with a typical bite-size diameter of 2cm ( or 0.79 inches). A standard Sungold tomato tree can grow as tall as 2.5m (or 8 feet). The tomatoes fruit in clusters of 10 to 20 tomatoes each.
The sun gold color of the tomatoes is where they derive their official name – Sungold. The Sungold tomato passes through three stages when ripening. Green, gold and finally sun yellow when mature. The skin of the tomato is glossy, thin and smooth.
When cut open, the Sungold cherry tomato exposes yellow flesh which is soft and tender. The tomato has a few seeds which are edible. For the flavor and taste, many growers enjoy popping a Sungold tomato whole into the mouth straight from the vine.
Table summarizing Sungold tomato characteristics
The following table summarizes some of the key characteristics of the Sungold cherry tomato variety.
| Item | Characteristic |
|---|---|
| Color when ripe | Orange |
| Shape | Small, round |
| Weight | 15-18grams |
| Taste | Very sweet, juicy, flavorful |
| Selling Points | Small, rounded, sweet |
| Type | Indeterminate, hybrid |
| Origin Japan | 1992 |
| Grow Area | Home garden, containers, green house |
| Mature Height | 2.5 meters |
| Mature Width | 45cm |
| Home Growing Difficulty | Easy |
| Season | Early (57-60 days) |
| Yield | High yield |
| Disease Resistance | Verticillium wilt (V), fusarium (F), and tobacco mosaic virus (TMV) |
What to do with Sungold Cherry Tomatoes
Culinary application
The primary application of Sungold Tomato is culinary related. Sungold cherry tomatoes are consumed raw for best flavor and the fruity sweetness. The tomato seems most enjoyed in its raw taste. Green salads and appetizer platters can be made using Sungold tomato.
Beyond culinary application in raw state, Sungold cherry tomatoes can also be grilled, roasted or sautéed. They can be grilled together with different kinds of meat or in a mixed veggie grill
Sungold tomatoes go well with snacks such as plain biscuits and crackers. In this case, the tomatoes are first simmered and then spread on the snacks.
In addition, Sungold cherry tomatoes can be combined with a variety of fruits and herbs from peaches, berries to basil, cilantro and zucchini. There is a wide variety of culinary applications involving the Sungold tomato.
Below is a sample list of raw culinary application of the Sungold tomato:-
- Spaghetti with Sungold Tomatoes and Scallops
- Radishes with Herbs, Sungold Tomatoes and Strawberries
- Sungold, Cucumber, and Corn Salad
- Raw Vegan Sungold Tomato Salad
- Sungold Tomato Pasta
- Summer Tomato Sauce with Cherry Tomatoes
Simple Sungold Tomato Sauce Recipe (Video)
In this video, a quick and easy Sungold tomato sauce is made using the cherry tomato. The recipe includes olive oil, pepper and garlic.
Spa application
Sungold cherry tomatoes are also used in high-end beauty spas. Japanese resorts are known for using cherry tomatoes including Sungold tomatoes for the purposes of body and skin beauty.
Tomato juice is associated with the attainment of an even skin tone. The tomato juice works as an astringent which prevents widespread prevalence of skin pores which in turn would accumulate dirt and oil. Other benefits of tomato juice include anti-aging, removal of dark spots and wrinkles from the skin.
Pruning Sungold Tomatoes
Jump to our in depth feature on How to Grow Tomatoes.
Pruning is an important part of growing any tomato plant. Sungold tomatoes must be pruned up to 20-30 cm from the ground. All the suckers and unnecessary growth must be removed for optimum growth and fruiting of the plant.
Sungold tomatoes tend to have suckers returning to the same spot. This must be followed up.
It can be noted that home growers tend to have different approaches to pruning Sungold tomatoes. Some neglect pruning when the plant is grown in raised beds or in the ground. They opt to prune only when growing the tomato in containers to better manage space.
However, commercial growers actively prune the tomato to better manage diseases and pests and also for the best yield and tomato quality.
Sungold Cherry Tomato Cons
Cracking
Although of a high reputation, Sungold tomatoes have one biggest flaw. They are susceptible to cracking. The splitting is mostly caused by uneven watering. Dry conditions followed by wet conditions easily cause all ripe and semi-ripe tomatoes to crack. Some growers have described the tomatoes as simply “bursting open”. The skin of the tomato is thin. This cases the tomato to easily split when suddenly watered after an intense dry spell.
Many attempts have been made at further developing the tomato to reduce or eliminate this weakness, without success.
The susceptibility of Sungold tomato to cracking makes it rather difficult to grow outdoors. For example, a warm dry spell followed by a downpour will burst the tomatoes open. This results in an immediate significant loss especially when the tomato is grown for commercial purposes.
To avoid these problems, Sungold tomatoes require even watering. When grown outdoors, in addition to even watering, the tomato tree must be mulched to prevent the soil drying up.
Jump to our in-depth feature on Why Tomatoes Crack
Sucker regrow
Sungold tomato vines have a tendency to regrow suckers after pruning. The suckers shoot from the same spot that was pruned. The grower thus must return more than once during the season to remove the regrows.
This may not be a big issue when one or two plants are grown in pots or containers. However, it becomes a significant issue when tomatoes are grown on a large scale.
Conclusion
The Sungold tomato is an orange colored, indeterminate early season cherry tomato well known for sweetness and great flavour. Although having started in Japan, it is now very popular in the UK and United States. It is a flavourful tomato most enjoyed when raw but also applicable in a number of culinary and non-culinary uses. It is a fairly easy tomato variety to grow even for the home gardener. However, one main flaw of the variety is vulnerability to cracking under certain unfavorable conditions. Despite these limitations, the Sungold tomato is well received and well appreciated.
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